Casino News Roundup: bwin, Golden Gate, Global Gaming Awards

There are a lot of renovations happening in the casino world this week - both online and land-based. Let's start off in the digital world where a big brand's online casino was overhauled.

bwin Casino Gets Makeover to its Website

One of the biggest European betting brands has made a number of upgrades to their online casino, and that should make their players happy. The team at bwin has come up with a number of updates both from the aesthetic side as well as in terms of their offerings. Players will now see a new layout that is more intuitive, so it will be easier to find that for which they're looking. Games will be sorted by formats and features while the live casino will have its own category.

They've also worked hard to harmonize the mobile and desktop version, so that the experiences aren't so different. That's a win for users as they'll have more consistent sessions no matter which device they're using. In terms of what games are available to the player, the total has now been upped to more than 650.

Golden Gate Hotel and Casino Gets Facelift

The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is 111 years old and has long been one of the mainstays of Las Vegas. However, it is has become a bit of a relic and that's turned away some business - especially when players have so many modern, high-tech options for accommodations. In hopes of keeping up with the times, they'll be undergoing a massive transformation that will see it double in size.

From August 20-25, the Golden Gate will be closed to the public as it adds about 100 new slots, along with a 24-foot tower of television screens that also happens to be 360 degrees. The One Bar and Restaurant will get another 20 feet of space, and the entrance, which is on the famous Freemont Street, will get a makeover as well.

The Golden Gate has been around since 1906 and is undoubtedly one of the staples downtown. However, it needs to be more than an artifact if it wants to compete with the big boys. They hope this moves them closer towards that.

Judges Finalized For Global Gaming Awards

The Global Gaming Awards have finalized their panel of judges. The last members named to the panel were Finbarr O'Mahony, who works for Facebook as the Head of Real Gaming Money; Ed Young, who works for Morgan Stanley as an Equity Research Analyst; and Angelo Dalli, who is the CEO of Bit8. This final trio joins an already impressive group that includes the CEO of NetEnt, Per Eriksson, CEO and President of the American Gaming Association, Geoff Freeman, and Walter Bugno, who is the CEO of IGT.

These are just some of the big names that you'll find judging the 12 awards that will be handed out for this event. The numbers will all be counted and confirmed by KPMG, who will be looking to avoid the type of flub at this awards show they had at last year's Oscars. In total, there will be 60 judges for these prestigious awards. The annual awards show will take place on October 2 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.